1. Field of the Invention
This invention relates generally to apparatus for controlling the flow of water in a toilet, and more specifically, to a toilet reservoir fill valve.
2. Discussion of the Prior Art
Toilets differ widely throughout the world in their size, configuration, features and particularly in their adaptation to different social cultures. Some toilets are adapted to flush merely with water pressure available in the water distribution system of a facility. More commonly, however, toilets are provided with reservoirs which initially fill to a predetermined level and then flush using the stored water.
In this latter example, the toilet commonly includes a bowl and a tank that is supported at the back of the bowl. This tank and its lid define the water reservoir. Water control apparatus associated with this design commonly includes a flush valve through which the stored water empties into the bowl, and a fill valve which initially fills the reservoir through an outside water source. Some fill valves are adapted to be mounted to receive water through the bottom of the tank. In other cases, the fill valves are mounted to receive water through the side of the tank. It is this side-mounted fill valve which is of particular interest to the present invention.
Other toilet structures of interest to the present invention include an overflow pipe which is associated with the flush valve. This pipe extends upwardly in the tank and provides an opening at a level above the water in the tank. From this opening, the overflow pipe bypasses the flush valve and empties directly into the bowl. In addition to providing a safety feature, the overflow tube can be used to initially introduce a small amount of water into the bowl in order to capture a small volume of water during normal, steady state operation. This provides the toilet with a wet-bowl configuration as opposed to a dry-bowl configuration when it is not in use.
Various fill valves of the prior art have provided a primary water outlet for filling the reservoir tank, and secondary outlets to accommodate the sink or a wet bowl configuration as required by a particular toilet.
In some toilet designs, a sink is formed in the lid of the tank and provides an area where the user can wash his/her hands after using the toilet. Since not all toilets have these secondary requirements for water at the sink or the overflow pipe, many different fill-valve configurations have been required in order to provide only those features needed for a particular tank configuration.
For example, fill valves of four designs have been needed to accommodate the four possible combinations of the two secondary water features. One valve provides no water outlets and is therefore adapted for a toilet configuration having neither a wet-bowl configuration nor a sink. A second valve embodiment having a single outlet has been provided to accommodate the relatively large pipe which connects to the wash sink. In this configuration, a dry bowl is contemplated so no separate outlet tube is provided for the overflow pipe. A third inlet valve embodiment has been necessary to accommodate the small outlet tube for those toilets having a wet-bowl configuration but no sink. Still a fourth valve has been required to accommodate toilets having both a sink and a wet-bowl configuration. With this requirement for four separate valves to accommodate the various toilet designs, the industry has had a relatively high inventory requirement. This has been felt not only at the wholesale level, but also in the retail and after-market environments.
In the past, the main water outlet for fill valves has been provided with a screen to aerate the water passing from the valve into the reservoir tank. The water has been permitted to merely fall into the tank, so the aeration has been appreciated in muffling some of the sound. Nevertheless, dumping the water directly into the tank against a substantially perpendicular surface has produce a significant amount of noise, particularly when the tank is empty and the water must fall a significant distance before striking the bottom of the tank.